The University of Hawaii at Manoa, founded as a land grant college under the terms of the Morrill Act of 1862 for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts in the United States, is the flagship institution of the University of Hawaii system. It is well respected for its programs in Hawaiian/Pacific Studies, Astronomy, East Asian Languages and Literature, Asian Studies, Comparative Philosophy, Marine Science, Second Language Studies, along with Botany, Engineering, Ethnomusicology, Geophysics, Law, Linguistics, Mathematics, and Medicine. The second-largest institution is the University of Hawaii at Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii, with over 3,000 students. The smaller University of Hawaii-West Oahu in Kapolei primarily serves students who reside on Honolulu's western and central suburban communities. The University of Hawaii Community College system comprises four campuses on Oahu and one each on Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii. The schools were created to improve accessibility of courses to more Hawaii residents and provide an affordable means of easing the transition from high school to college for many students. University of Hawaii education centers are located in more remote areas of the state, supporting rural communities via distance education.

In the entire University of Hawaii system, there are approximately 50,317 students of which 44,122 are undergraduates. On average, the student body is 42% male and 58% female. 20% are Caucasian, 20% are Japanese, 15% are Filipino, 13% are Hawaiian or part Hawaiian and 32% are from other ethnicities. 89% of the professors reside in Hawaii while 6% are from the United States mainland. A total of 616 programs are offered throughout the University of Hawaii system with 123 devoted for bachelor's degrees, 92 for master's degrees, 53 for doctoral degrees, 3 for first professional degrees, 4 for post baccalaureate degrees, 115 for associate degrees and various other certifications.[citation needed]

The University seal contains a torch and a book titled Mālamalama (the light of knowledge) in the center of a circular map of the Pacific, surrounded by the state motto, Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono ("The life of the land is perpetuated in (by) righteousness".) The University motto, inscribed in both the Hawaiian and English languages on Founders' Gate at the Mānoa campus is Ma luna aʻe o nā lāhui a pau ke ola o ke kanaka ("Above all nations is humanity").[citation needed]

In accordance with Article X, Section 6 of the Hawaii State Constitution, the University of Hawaii system is governed by a Board of Regents, composed of 15 unpaid members who are nominated by a Regents Candidate Advisory Council, appointed by the governor, and confirmed by the state legislature. The Board oversees all aspects of governance for the university system, including its internal structure and management. The board also appoints, evaluates, and if necessary removes the President of the University of Hawaii.[6]

The University's governing board includes a current student appointed by the Governor of Hawaii to serve a two-year term as a full voting regent. The practice of appointing a student to the Board was approved by the Hawaii State Legislature in 1997.

Alumni of the University of Hawaii system include many notable persons in various walks of life. Senator Daniel Inouye and Tammi Duckworth both are veterans of the US military who were injured during in the line of duty then later entered government service. Bette Midler and Georgia Engel are successful entertainers on the national stage. President Barack Obama's parents, Barack Obama, Sr., and S. Ann Dunham, and half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, also earned degrees from the Mānoa campus, where his parents met in a Russian language class. His mother earned three degrees from the University of Hawaii including a Ph.D. in anthropology. Jason Tom, an alumnus of the University of Hawaii system, is a musician, teacher and inspirational & motivational speaker known for beatboxing.

The University of Hawaii system has had many faculty members of note. Many were visiting faculty or came after they won major awards like Nobel LaureateDr. Georg von Békésy. Dr. Ryuzo Yanagimachi, principal investigator of the research group that developed a method of cloning from adult animal cells, is still on the faculty.

^Magin, Janis L. "Land deals could breathe new life into Moiliili." Pacific Business News. Sunday July 1, 2007. 1. Retrieved on October 5, 2011. "Dobelle at that time had even suggested moving the University of Hawaii system offices from the Manoa campus to office space in Moiliili, something the current administration is not actively considering."

^"Office of the President." University of Hawaii System. Retrieved on October 5, 2011. "Office of the President 2444 Dole Street Bachman 202 Honolulu, HI 96822"

^"Office of the Board of Regents." University of Hawaii System. Retrieved on October 5, 2011. "Executive Administrator and Secretary of the Board of Regents 2444 Dole Street, Bachman Hall, Room 209 Honolulu, HI 96822"